does sponsorship help companies?!?1

[RT_Luver]

well, if they sponser the right team it does

[[FE]Memnock]

Here is a real world example of a sponsorship by a local field:

Team Gains:
Cheap paint
Equipment at cost
Their own field to play on
Free Field fees
Being sponsored (or, named affiliation with a known local vendor)

Sponsor Gains:
A website (built and maintained by a member of the team)
A speedball course built by an experianced team
Dedicated and experianced refs from the area
Name recognition through tournaments and team website etc
A sponsored Team (or, named affiliation with a known and recognised local team)

As far as the whole "what the pros use" issue... A lot of people claim that the pro's drive the 'popular paint/equipment' market for both the tournament and rec scene. Newbie and/or Everyman Paintball player sees what the pros use and see that as their next must have product. Well, it may seem that way, but it's not. The pros use what their sponsors tell them they have to to keep their sponsorships... so in a sense, the companies themselves drive the precieved popularity of their own products through manipulation of their sponsorship of pro teams...

Whoa, did that make an ounce of sense? shartley, back me up here (or straigten me out) since I know we'll hear from you again... plus I know you know what you're talking about. What a tangled web we weave...

As a member of our team said recently in an extremely sarcastic moment, "Of course Avalanche uses Preoteus goggles, they're sponsored by JT... theey're a walking commercial and you fell for it." He's just pissed because he can't afford new goggles right now. :)

Anyways, my $.02. It's better than tossing it into the free penny tray.

-Mem

[paintbattler]

they will only sponsor good teams that will spread their name a long way

[raehl]

Heh...

I don't really believe pro teams have any influence at all over what people buy. why?

1) New players don't know who pro teams are, much less what equipment they actually use.
2) Most pro equipment is way beyond the price or performance required by most players.
3) Even if players fo know who the pro teams are and what equipment they use, one pro team is as good as another. It's not like there are many people around saying "Well, I'm going to use the same equipment that Pro Team X uses, because the equipment the use must be better than the equipment another team uses."

I'd say players are more likely to buy what people they know personally or know from their local fields use than they are what pros use.

Now, if oyu combine sponsorship with advertising "Use our product, because these teams that use our product win with it", then you've got something going.

- Chris

[M-a-s-sDriver]

How about this?

Our team, the Pink Fluffy Ballerinas, is fully sponsered by Ace Paintball, and Ace Paintball.com. Fully, meaning free unlimited paint, free jerseys, pants, gloves, Invisions, whatever, and some free gear like loaders or what have you, and large items ar store cost. All our entries air and expenses are paid. For a ten man team.
Because of our outstanding reputation, the Ace people approached US with this offer.
Here is how we are different:
Although we play local tournies regularly, we concentrate on a preset schedule to play rec-ball at all the local fields, mixing up the roster with those players that are available. We go find the newbies and play with them and teach them to play, give them some paint, and hand out flyers for discounts at the store. Our most recognisable player, RUE, a large Indian has his own special "RUE CARD" that he passes out to one or two players a day to get a free case of paint at the store. By the end of the day, EVERYONE knows who Rue is. WE also staff swap meets and store functions dressed in full uniform.
We Earn our sponsership by hard work and exposure to those that are likely to buy at the store and justify our existance, rather than just a free ride to some tournaments. We also started posting where and what field we would be on at www.sacpaintball.com so players would know right where to go for the store goodies, and the response is excellent. So instead of gaining recognition on the national Big Guy level, we are getting more success and a better sponsership by really focusing on the local scene in the Sacramento area, with people we will see all the time.
Brent Jackson, ACE-PFB.